Meet the Principal

Hello Mary Silveira community,

My name is Bjorn Remmers, and I'm thrilled to be the principal of Mary Silveira! I have been in education for 20 years. I got my first substitute gig in a high school and was almost kicked out of the faculty room after being mistaken for a high schooler. Those were the days! Since then, aside from spending a couple trial by fire years as a middle school teacher in East Oakland, I have been at the elementary level. I was a 5th grade teacher for 16 years in Walnut Creek and Tiburon, was an assistant principal last year in Tiburon, and have been involved in leadership for the past eight years.

I live in Petaluma with my wonderful wife, Willa, who is a massage therapist in Mill Valley. I love reading, writing, going for walks and dining out with my wife, boogie boarding, and traveling. My favorite places have been the Stockholm Archipelago in Sweden, the beaches of West Africa’s Benin, the tropical coast of Kerala, India, the city of Barcelona, the four quarters of Old Jerusalem, and 3-Arch Bay in the Laguna Beach area.

Finally, I love working with children, parents, and staff around issues of education, and I love being in the thick of it all!

Whether you are new to our school this year or returning once again, we are excited to have you and your child as a part of our "school family." Many of you may already be aware that Mary Silveira Elementary is a unique place for children and adults to learn. With its warm, caring staff, small class size, balanced focus, and child-centered atmosphere, our goal is to work together to meet the needs of every child. "The best interests of students" guides our work here at Mary Silveira Elementary. This is reflected in our daily work with children, instructional programming, support and intervention programs, and the professional development in which we engage on early release Wednesdays.

The outstanding faculty and staff at Silveira are committed to providing learning opportunities for all of our students. We are focused on challenging and supporting all students to reach their academic, social and emotional potential. We work towards this goal through:

Providing students with engaging 21st century learning curriculum

Providing students with leadership opportunities

Providing students "augmented programs" such as technology, art, library, and music

Providing students a safe environment to learn

Providing students opportunities to take risks

Providing robust counseling services

Providing students with credentialed, motivated, and inspiring teachers

Providing teachers with collaborative planning opportunities

Providing teachers with professional development opportunities

Providing parents opportunities to share leadership

On behalf of all the students, parents, and staff here at MES, we welcome you!